Master gardeners staff hotlines in Hunterdon, Somerset

This new class of master gardeners will staff hotlines in Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

The N.J. Agricultural Extension Service (NJAES) Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset and Hunterdon counties are busy getting ready to open the Helpline offices in both counties and will welcome 15 new graduates to the volunteer staff. In April nine residents of Somerset County and six residents of Hunterdon County will graduate from the program and begin their apprenticeships under the guidance of certified master gardeners on the two county Helplines.

The Somerset and Hunterdon counties Rutgers Master Gardener Helplines provide a service every home gardener can take advantage of throughout the growing season. The master gardeners are trained by Rutgers University staff and faculty as well as local horticulturalists to answer the questions of the season and assist county residents in a variety of ways. The Master Gardener Helpline volunteers can help with a myriad of home gardening issues including: providing the materials and information needed to obtain a proper soil sample for analysis from Rutgers’ labs, soil pH testing, lawn care, and plant, tree and shrub identification, advice about the right plant for the right place and recommendations on deer resistant plant material. With suitable samples, the master gardeners can also diagnose plant diseases, identify insects, weeds, and other pests of the home and garden and give written advice about the cultural recommendations for their control following integrated pest management techniques.

The Master Gardener Helpline of Hunterdon County will be staffed by master gardener volunteers beginning Monday, April 1. Both certified master gardeners and new master gardener graduates will be available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, and Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Residents can call 908-788-1375 or stop by the new office location in the County Complex at 314 Route 12, Building 2, Flemington.